So-called hysteresis regulators or two-point regulators are known for the purpose of regulating a current through an inductive load. In the case of such regulators, a supply voltage is cyclically applied to the load, and a current which flows through the load in this case is determined. In this case, the supply voltage is respectively switched off when the current exceeds a predefined upper limiting value and the supply voltage is switched on again when the current undershoots a predefined lower limiting value. With ideal conditions, that is to say with an exactly triangular profile of the current which rises when the supply voltage is applied and falls when the supply voltage is not applied, the mean value of the current corresponds to the mean value of the upper and lower hysteresis limiting values.
More complex regulators have a closed control loop. In the case of these regulators, a supply voltage is cyclically applied to the load, and a current which flows through the load is determined. A regulator is used to generate a pulse-width-modulated drive signal from the measured value obtained in this manner, said drive signal cyclically driving a switch, which is connected in series with the load, in order to apply the supply voltage to the load.